Fan shroud with cooling passage

ABSTRACT

A fan shroud includes a cylindrical body which is made of a heat conducting material and which enclose an annular passage. The shroud also has a flange projecting radially outwardly from the body. The body forms a wall interposed in the passage. An inlet port and an outlet port communicate with the passage on opposite sides of the wall. Inlet and outlet supply lines are connected to the inlet and outlet ports.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a fan shroud for an engine cooling fan.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Internal combustion engine require cooling systems to cool cooling fluids heated by the engines. Such cooling systems normally include multiple cooler components. Fans and shroud components are used to direct airflow through the cooler components. The coolers also restrict the air that flows through them. In previous designs the shroud and cooler components are separate parts. Previous metal fan shrouds have not included any fluid cooling capability.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a fan shroud includes a body made of a heat conducting material which encloses an annular passage. An inlet port communicates the passage with a source of heated fluid, and an outlet port communicates heated fluid from the passage. The inlet and outlet ports are positioned on opposite sides of a wall which is interposed in the passage. Inlet and outlet supply lines are connected to the inlet and outlet ports.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooling fan surrounded by a shroud embodying the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective sectional view of the shroud of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a fan shroud 10 is included in a cooling system (not shown) for an internal combustion engine (not shown). The fan shroud 10 surrounds and couples a cooling fan 12 to a heat exchanger (not shown). The fan shroud 10 is made of a heat conducting material, such as aluminum. The fan shroud 10 includes a hollow cylindrical body 14 and a flange 16 which projects radially outwardly from the body 14. The body 14 has an outer wall 18 and an inner wall 20 which together enclose a circular or annular passage 22 which extends completely around the body 14. The body forms a wall 21 which is interposed in the passage 22 and creates a first passage 23 which extends clockwise away from the wall and the outlet port 26, and comprises a second passage 25 which extends counter-clockwise away from the wall 21 and the inlet port 24.

Ports 24 and 26 extend through the outer wall 18 and communicate with the passage 22 on opposite sides of the wall 21. Port 24 may act as an inlet port and port 26 may act as an outlet port.

An inlet line 30 is connected to port 24. An outlet supply line 32 is connected to the outlet port 26. Inlet line 30 communicates the inlet port 24 with a source (not shown) of heated fluid, and outlet line 32 communicates cooled fluid away from the outlet port 26.

The result is a shroud 10 which combines the function of a fan shroud and a cooler into a single component. The shroud-cooler still serves the same purpose of any fan shroud—focusing air to improve the efficiency of a fan. The shroud-cooler also serves the purpose of cooling the fluid that passes through it. Hot fluid would enter the shroud-cooler and the heat would be conducted through the shroud material and into the air passing through the shroud. The cooled fluid then exits the shroud and returns to its circuit.

The shroud 10 could contain multiple cavities (not shown) to cool multiple fluids. It could also be made from various materials that would transfer heat from the fluid to the air. The fluid could pass through a single route or around multiple routes in the shroud.

While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description is to be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that illustrative embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected. It will be noted that alternative embodiments of the present disclosure may not include all of the features described yet still benefit from at least some of the advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations that incorporate one or more of the features of the present disclosure and fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 

We claim:
 1. A fan shroud comprising: a body made of a heat conducting material and enclosing a passage which extends at least partially through the body; an inlet port communicating the passage with a source of heated fluid; and an outlet port communicating with the passage for communicating heated fluid out of the passage.
 2. The fan shroud of claim 1, wherein: the body forms a Wall which is interposed in the passage, and the inlet and outlet ports are positioned on opposite sides of the wall.
 3. The fan shroud of claim 2, wherein: the passage comprises a first passage which extends clockwise away from the wall and the outlet port, and comprises a second passage which extends counter-clockwise away from the wall and the inlet port.
 4. The fan shroud of claim 1, wherein: the should comprises a hollow cylindrical body and a flange projecting radially outwardly from the body.
 5. The fan shroud of claim 4, wherein: an inlet supply line is connected to the inlet port, the inlet supply line extending substantially parallel to a rotation axis of the fan.
 6. The fan shroud of claim 4, wherein: an outlet supply line is connected to the outlet port, the outlet supply line extending substantially parallel to a rotation axis of the fan.
 7. The fan shroud of claim 4, wherein: an inlet supply line is connected to the inlet port; and an outlet supply line is connected to the outlet port, the inlet and outlet supply lines extending substantially parallel to a rotation axis of the fan.
 8. The fan shroud of claim 1, wherein: the passage is annular.
 9. A fan shroud comprising: a hollow cylindrical body and a flange projecting radially outwardly from the body, the body and the flange being made of a heat conducting material, and the body enclosing an annular passage, the body forming a wall interposed in the passage; and an inlet port and an outlet port communicating with the passage, the inlet and outlet ports being positioned on opposite sides of the wall, the passage comprising a first passage which extends clockwise away from the wall and the one of the ports, and a second passage which extends counter-clockwise away from the wall and the other of the ports. 